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2. Enjoy French town planningAlthough Puducherry was always important to foreign trade, it was the French who wrangled trading rights from the Adil Shahi rulers in the 17th century. The Dutch and British also tried to be part of the party, but it was the French who clung on, laying out the neat grid of streets that Puducherry is so defined by. The town was further divided into the French section, or White Town, and the area beyond the Petit Canal, also called Black Town. Government Square, or Bharati Park, is the centre of the French side, lined with trees and a pretty colonnaded pavilion. You may even spot a policeman wearing a uniform influenced by the French army uniform.

3. Admire pretty buildingsMany of the charming villas in Puducherry now house public offices. Look on Rue Dumas for the École Française de l’Extrême Orient, and the the neo-classical Institut Français (above) on Rue St Louis.

4. Visit atmospheric churchesBuilt by the French, the churches in Puducherry are worthy of your time. The Church of Our Lady of the Angels (above) on Rue Dumas cocoons memorial plaques, Ionic columns and an impressive barrel-vaulted ceiling. On South Boulevard, the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus boasts beautiful neo-Gothic stained glass panels.

5. Eat food with global influencesPuducherry’s oldest French restaurant is Le Club on Rue Dumas; try for a table in the garden. The steaks are usually excellent. Satsanga (above) on Rue Labourdonnais is known for organic fare, while Carte Blanche, the restaurant at the Hotel de L’Orient, offers delicately flavoured Creole fish curry alongside French fare.